The present invention relates generally to fuel tanks for vehicles and, more particularly, to a fuel tank cover and filter assembly for a fuel tank of a vehicle.
It is known to provide a fuel tank such as a plastic fuel tank in a vehicle to hold fuel to be used by an engine of the vehicle. In such a fuel tank, a cover is provided for a fuel reservoir. The cover typically has fuel tubes, electrical connector, and rollover valve attached thereto.
It is also known to provide a fuel filter to filter the fuel from the fuel tank to the engine. Typically, the fuel filter is connected to the fuel line that delivers fuel to the engine. The fuel filter is located outside the fuel tank under a vehicle body of the vehicle.
One concern is that xe2x80x9cdemandxe2x80x9d fuel systems are being introduced to eliminate return of hot fuel from the engine to the fuel tank, thereby eliminating an engine fuel return line. However, the fuel must still be filtered in the fuel line prior to being sent to the engine and current fuel systems require a bypass from the fuel filter back into the fuel tank in order to keep the pressure regulated. With the current in-line fuel filter, a partial return line is still required which forces an extra connection at a fuel tank cover.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly for a vehicle that incorporates the function of the in-line fuel filter into a fuel tank cover to eliminate several connections and simplify the fuel system. It is also desirable to provide a fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly that eliminates a return line and a connection at the cover for a fuel tank.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly for a fuel tank of a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly with a separate cover and a fuel filter attached to the cover.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly for a fuel tank of a vehicle including a cover for a fuel reservoir disposed in the fuel tank and a fuel filter attached directly to the cover to filter fuel from the fuel reservoir.
One advantage of the present invention is that a fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly is provided for fuel tank of a vehicle that incorporates the function of the in-line filter into the fuel tank cover to eliminate several connections and simplify the fuel system and assembly process. Another advantage of the present invention is that the fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly incorporates the fuel filter into the fuel tank cover by spin-welding the fuel filter directly to the cover. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly regulates and filters fuel inside the fuel tank, thus eliminating a return line and connection at the cover. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly eliminates two connections in the fuel line where the fuel filter was previously attached. A further advantage of the present invention is that the fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly significantly reduces the number of components to obtain the desired function and reduces the number of seals and permeation by incorporating the fuel filter into the cover for the fuel reservoir. Yet a further advantage of the present invention is that the fuel tank cover and fuel filter assembly enhances impact worthiness with the elimination of an external filter and one connector for the fuel tank cover.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.